Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
(Jeremiah 15:10.16-21; John:11:19-27)
There’s a running debate on who is the more prominent friend
of Jesus in the gospels – Martha or Mary.
Luke seems to give preference to Mary who, as he says, “has chosen the
better part …” However, some preachers,
such as the renowned Meister Eckhart, argue in favor of Martha. In the Gospel of John, however, Martha seems
to easily outpoint Mary.
In the passage read today, Martha not only shows a greater compulsion
to meet the Lord, she also makes very significant Christological claims. First, Martha recognizes that Jesus is the
Messiah, “… the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” At the same time, she assents – the first
person in all the gospels – that Jesus is (that is, embodies) “the resurrection
and the life (eternal life).”
Comparing the saints is, for the most part, a fool’s
errand. They are all great because they
all loved the Lord with all their being.
Each of us can find patrons among in the panoply of saints to emulate
and petition help. Today we have three
excellent ones: Martha who served the Lord, Mary who listened attentively at
his feet, and Lazarus whom Jesus himself calls his friend (John 11:11).
